Welcome back to the Ideate Blog.
I want to share a big project I have been working on for the last few months with you: instructor-led online training.
Those of you who know me, know my background is in Residential Design, including high-end custom residential buildings, single family residences, and multi-family units. I have trained many clients in the use of AutoCAD, AutoCAD Architecture, and Revit. I have also written technical books used in many colleges across the country. Needless to say, the last 25+ years have been very rewarding for me and I have been involved in some really fun projects.
A few years ago, I decided to head back to school and finish up my degree in Instructional Design, where I honed my skills in developing and putting together instructional materials. After a rigorous and dedicated training regimen, I graduated the day before I deployed to Afghanistan with the Oregon Army National Guard. Upon returning from military service, Ideate approached me about creating an online training course. I jumped at the opportunity to put my skills and experience to work developing and creating another great training opportunity for our clients.
Now, I am proud to announce Ideate will be providing a larger online educational presence beginning August 2016.
What is this "online training" I speak of? First off, we are taking what has been successful in our brick and mortar classrooms, and applying it to an online training environment. Our Revit instructors will teach using a “best-practices” methodology, as opposed to a feature-based methodology. Our new Revit training, which will be provided by instructors who have been in your shoes, will focus on the practical application of tools. You will learn the tools in a manner similar to how you might use them in your work, rather than us teaching you a tool out of context, and leaving it up to you to figure out how to implement it.
Many of our classes are instructor-led, and our online courses will be no different. However, given that online training is online, we have had to develop a bit more regimentation for the online environment to ensure you get the best quality training possible.
The online program:
We have developed a four step process, where each topic will be covered in 20-25 minutes. For our fundamentals course we will host six, half day classes. Each class will be four hours in length, with a break, in order to accommodate your busy work schedule, and limit all day training burnout.
The process breakdown:
• Topic Description/Lecture (3-5 minutes): First, we will briefly explain the topic/function.
• Topic Demonstration (3-5 minutes): Next will be a demonstration from the instructor and a preview of the exercise.
• Topic Exercise (10-15 minutes): This section will be reserved for the student to work through an exercise on the topic described at the beginning.
• Topic Assessment (1 minute): The final step of the process is a 1-2 question assessment of the topic, in an effort to re-enforce what was taught.
Looking forward:
As previously indicated, the first Ideate online education offering will be our Revit Fundamentals course, available in August 2016. Future online courses will be released over the following months to include topics such as Families, Revit for Interior Architects, Revit for Landscape Architects, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D.
I look forward to helping you continue your education, and am excited by this new education delivery system.
Take Care Until Next Time,
Ron
For more information on the software solutions, training and consulting Ideate provides, please visit the Ideate Inc. website.
Ron PalmaAEC Application Specialist
Ron has 25+ years of experience in the architectural industry as a drafter, designer, lead project designer, trainer, and a CAD manager implementing Autodesk Architectural Solutions for residential design firms. His instructional accomplishments include: Autodesk Certified Instructor (ACI), trainer, support technician, educator at Portland and Clackamas Community Colleges, as well as a U.S. Army certified instructor. Ron holds a BA in Instructional Design suma cum laude, is a member of the Oregon Army National Guard, where he is a First Sergeant of an Infantry Company, specializing in training and mentoring soldiers in their careers, and has been deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Resolute Support. Ron is a published author and continues to write professional technical training manuals and shorts for AutoCAD, AutoCAD Architecture, and Revit. As an Autodesk Certified Instructor and Revit Architecture Autodesk Certified Professional, Ron continues to provide Revit Architecture and AutoCAD training and support for various AEC firms. @RonPalmaAEC
